Basic rules to fell better

After sugar, gluten is the biggest energy drain. Most of us lack the enzyme that breaks it down, so it has the effect of making us feel vaguely (or for some people, extremely) unwell and tired. Your immune system fights it as if it’s a foreign substance, and that’s exhausting. Sensitivity to gluten falls along a spectrum. Most people are mildly sensitive, and some are highly sensitive. People with celiac disease, which damages the small intestine, can’t tolerate gluten at all. If you have unexplained stomachaches after eating foods like bread and pasta, you’re probably very sensitive to gluten (eating bread and pasta doesn’t make a lot of sense anyway, since they’re not nutritious). As for packaged gluten-free products, skip them—most are full of processed starches that are bad for your body in other ways.

Look at the Integrity of Calories, Not the Number

Counting calories is a distraction that could lead you down a path of artificial sweeteners and preservatives—the absolute worst stuff for your body. Instead, think about eating clean food, close to nature and dense with nutrients. Pay attention to the source of your calories rather than the number. (A hundred calories from kale are much better for you than a hundred calories from the vending machine.)

Eat Till You’re Only 80 Percent Full

At home it’s easy to control your portion size. At restaurants, where meals tend to be enormous, you need to calibrate. Eat about half of what’s on your plate, then pause. Do you feel satisfied? Not hungry anymore? Can you imagine a nice cup of chamomile tea instead of more food? Sit back. You’re done.